Kari,

Welcome to Lactnet and thank you for your interest and dedication. Lactation consultants come from many walks of life, and many started out with the basic personal experiences and interests you have described. Others started from very different vantage points, and while many of those have their own breastfeeding/motherhood experiences as an additional part of their experience and motivation, such experiences are not prerequisites for entering the profession.

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners is the official organization for establishing criteria and administering the yearly examination for first becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. They also establish criteria for renewing that official certification at 5 year intervals. The profession is only about 29 years old and is changing and developing as it grows under various education and health care experiential conditions and systems in various nations of the world.

Currently there are now three official pathways to be admitted to taking the official examination.  There are many educational programs that offer informational help in your training, but IBLCE is the only group to provide official certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.  You can find full information through this link: 

www.iblce.org   

(Last updated August 19, 2013) 

Best wishes in your endeavors.

K. Jean Cotterman RNC-E, IBCLC

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